Incident Overview
The accident occurred during a night training mission at Beale Air Force Base. The crew was performing touch-and-go landings. After touchdown, the aircraft collided with cattle that were roaming on the runway. The decision to abort the landing was made, but the aircraft could not stop within the remaining distance. It overran the runway and came to rest in flames.
Occupants and Casualties
All seven occupants escaped uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed in the post-crash fire. Five cattle were killed in the collision.
Probable Cause Investigation
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was a broken fence that allowed six cattle to walk onto the main runway. Due to limited visibility caused by night conditions, both the pilots and air traffic control failed to see the animals in time.